State planning minister to consider link road in Winchelsea

THE Surf Coast Shire has referred a planning scheme amendment about Growing Winchelsea to the Victorian Planning Minister, following concerns about a future link road in Winchelsea.

At their meeting last week, councillors considered submissions to Amendment C120, which implements the planning recommendations in the Growing Winchelsea: Shaping Future Growth 2015 plan.

The amendment’s changes include a proposal to apply the Design and Development Overlay and a new Schedule 27 (DDO27), to land at 8 Palmer Street.

The landowner at 8 Palmer Street objected to the amendment on several grounds, including that the proposal to build a link road between Hesse and Palmer Streets over the long term was for the benefit of the existing shopping strip to relieve traffic congestion and would not benefit that property; and that the proposal was too onerous because it would apply to any future subdivision or development, including an application for a small single commercial building.

In their response, shire officers argued the proposal was intended to provide access to potential future commercial premises at 8 Palmer Street, and a separate link road was recommended by the Winchelsea Town Centre Access and Opportunities report (known as the O’Brien Report) to provide access for the benefit of existing commercial development; but agreed with the second objection.

“If the site is subdivided into a number of commercial allotments, the need for the link road is apparent. For a small commercial development that could utilise the existing access from Palmer Street, however, there may not be a need for the road (e.g. converting the existing residential premises into a low traffic commercial business).

“The O’Brien Report notes that a long-term link road through 8 Palmer Street is very dependent on future development of this site.

“For these reasons it is suggested that the wording of the proposed DDO27 could be amended to only require the link road where deemed necessary following an assessment of a proposed subdivision and its impacts on access and traffic movement.”

As a result, councillors resolved to refer any outstanding submissions on Amendment C120 to a state-appointed independent planning panel, as  it was the only way the amendment could proceed.